Card groover



1966 D. GOBEL ETAL. 3,263,533

CARD GROOVER Filed Feb. 4, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5TART Fl H 0 COO 0000 0000000 0 O 0000 0 000000000 0 OOOOOOOOOOOOOQO O Aug, 2, 1966 D. GOBEL. ETAL CARD GROOVER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flled Feb. 4,, 1964 INVENTORS- ZYOQW Z Gab Aug. 2, 1966 D. GOBEL ETAL.

CARD GROOVER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 4 1964 I NVENTORfi BY eozzard 74145, 7 7" Dolph Gobei id 7 Mwu United States Patent 3,263,538 CARD GROOVER Dolph Gohel, Great Neck, N.Y., and Leonard M. Davis,

Fair Lawn, N.J., assignors to Shaw-Walker Co., Muskegon, MllClL, a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 342,418 Claims. (Cl. 83-98) This invention relates to a machine for cutting V- shaped grooves that extend inwardly from the edges of a stack of record cards and has for its principal object the provision of a new and improved machine of this type.

It is a main object to provide a card grooving machine capable of cutting grooves that extend inwardly from the edges of a stack of record cards in such a manner that grooves thus cut in the individual cards in the stack are accurately positioned regardless of the position of that card in the stack of cards.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a card grooving machine, a tray for receiving a stack of record cards arranged to hold the cards in the stack in accurate alignment with respect to each other in all directions.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a card grooving machine tray, card aligning means which engage only the edges of the cards thereby eliminating the possibility of damaging perforations in the cards.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a card grooving machine means for fixing the card holding tray of the machine against movement during operation of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a card grooving machine a grooving blade mounted for easy removal without otherwise disassembling the machine.

A further object of the invention is' to provide a card grooving machine that is manually operable and can be manufactured and maintained at low cost without sacrificing quality.

Further objects of the invention, not specifically mentioned here, will be apparent from the detailed description and claims that follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a typical record card;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the machine incorporating the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side-elevational view of the machine in normal position and partly in cross section along the median line of the machine.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the machine in operated position.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line S 5 of FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the blade holding device.

' FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the blade in relaxed position.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the blade; and

FIGURE 9 is a cross sectional view through the blade taken along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 8 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Recording systems used in factories and the like usually employ record cards that contain rows of perforations adjacent both sides and one end of the card. To identify a particular order number, for example, groove are cut in the card which grooves extend from the perforation therein to the adjacent edge of the card. Through this arrangement the various digits of an order number are registered on the card usually in binary code. In addi- 3,263,538 Patented August 2, I966 tion to the order number the cards may be grooved to indicate other data such as employee number, operation identification, etc.

At the start of a particular operation to be performed in connection with an order, a card is given to the operat-or assigned to perform that operation and the card is inserted in a suitable timeclock to have recorded thereon the month, day and time at the moment of the starting of the operation. Preferably, the timeclock used is an elapsed time computer of the type shown in the Robinson et al. Patent 2,983,443 issued May 9, 1961, although other types of time recorders may be used.

When the operator finishes the operation assigned to him he again inserts the card in the recording machine which records thereon the month, date and hour at the moment and, in case the recorder is of the type shown in the above patent, the elapsed working time between start and finish of the operation is also recorded on the card in hours and fraction of an hour in steps of fivehundredths of an hour each.

During the course of the fabrication of many orders in a factory, several hundred cards may be used with only a part of those cards used in connection with a particular order number. These cards are collected together and stored in a suitable container.

When it is desired to collect together all of the cards containing data in connection with a particular order number sorting pins are projected through the group of cards in the perforations therein corresponding to the particular order number. The group of cards is then elevated slightly and all cards grooved in accordance with the particular order number will drop out of the group; the other cards being retained therein by the sorting pins projecting through un-grooved perforations in those cards. The thus collected together cards pertaining to a particular order number are rendered available for such other uses as may be required.

The present invention relates particularly to a machine for preparing either a single card or a plurality of cards to identify a particular number as, for example, an order number in code. The machine consists of a V-shaped cutter blade mounted for reciprocating motion in a substantially vertical plane; manual means for operating the blade; a tray for holding a stack of cards in accurately aligned position with respect to each other; means for definitely aligning and securing the tray and cards in position relative to the blade, and manual means for operating the machine to groove the stack of cards. Thus, when the blade is operated and a groove is cut in the edge of the stack of cards each card in the stack is grooved in a pre-selected position. Since the cards are accurately aligned with respect to each other, the groove in each of the cards is accurately located in the desired position. When the first groove has thus been cut in the stack of cards, the tray and cards carried thereon are moved laterally to position beneath the blade the next perforation required to be grooved in accordance with the code of the desired number.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings where, in FIGURE 1, a typical record card is shown. The card contains a row of thirty-four perforations 10 adjacent one of its longer edges;.a part of which perforations are indicated as order number, the ten thousands, thousands, hundreds, tens and units digits of which are indicated by the usual binary code indicated by numbered perforations 7, 4, 2 and 1. This row of perforations also is marked to indicate prefix numbers and employees number.

As shown, the card is grooved to indicate order number 12160 and empolyee number 114. A second row of perforations 11 is located at the end of the card and a third row 12 at the opposite longitudinal edge of the card. The perforations in rows 11 and 12 may be used to indicate operation numbers, machine numbers, and the like, as required.

The card also contains a box 13 in which the starting time will be recorded, a box 14 in which the finish time will be recorded, and a box 16 in which the elapsed time will be recorded by the elapsed time computer shown in the above patent. The central area 17 of the card and the end area 18 thereof are available to receive perforations and other data as required in connection with the accounting system employed in the factory.

As will be seen in FIGURES 2 to inclusive, the machine of the present invention is T-shaped in plan view, having a front portion indicated generally at 20 that extends transversely of the machine and a central portion 21 that projects upwardly from the portion 20 at the rear thereof.

The framework of the machine consists of a base 22 from the front edge of which the front wall 23 of the portion 20 of the machine extends upwardly at an acute angle. The rear wall of this portion of the machine is in two sections and is positioned upon opposite sides of the upstanding portion 21 of the machine. End walls 25 and 26 extend upwardly from the base 22 and terminate in a downwardly sloping upper edge upon which a platform 27 is disposed. Platform 27 extends from end wall to end wall of the machine and is secured thereto by suitable means, such as screws. Preferably the platform 27 is composed of a material such as fibre or a plastic capable of receiving a smooth surface that presents low friction to objects sliding upon it.

The portion 21 of the framework consists of a front wall 30, a back wall 31 and end walls 32 and 33, the latter being broken away in FIGURES 3 and 4 the better to show the interior of the machine. Side walls 32 and 33 extend forwardly to the front wall 23 of the section 20 of the machine and are disposed beneath the platform 27 thereof, which platform may be secured to these walls by screws if desired. The front wall extends upwardly from the plane of platform 27, at right angles thereto, and contains an opening 35 which is centered on the median line of the wall. A top 34 closes section 21 of the machine.

Mounted upon the upper surface of the platform 27 is a spacer plate and mounted upon the upper surface of this spacer 40 is an aligning plate 41, both of which plates extend from end to end of the machine and are secured thereon in suitable manner. Upstanding from the aligning plate 41, is a second aligning plate which is in two sections 42 and 42' separated adjacent the center of the machine, for a purpose hereinafter to appear.

Mounted beneath the platform 27 and located at each end of the portion 20 of the machine is a spring pressed block 45 supported on a base block 46 and disposed between a short interior wall 47 and the adjacent end wall of the portion. Springs 48 extend from the blocks 45 to the walls 24 of the framework and are tensioned to urge the blocks rearwardly of the machine.

Fixed to the blocks 45 by suitable means such as screws 49 and spaced therefrom by collars 50 is a presser plate 51 which extends from end to end of the machine.

The card receiving tray consists of a rack plate 52 which rests upon the platform 27 and extends from end to end of the tray and projects beneath the front edge of aligning plate 41. Fixed to the plate 52 is a base plate 53 of the tray which, as will be seen in FIGURE 2, is T-shaped. Upstanding from the base plate 53 are end walls 54 and 55 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the length of the cards that the machine is adapted to groove. Also upstanding from the plate 53 are front plates 56 and 56' which are located forwardly of the aligning plates 42 and 42, a distance equal to the width of the cards to be grooved by the machine. It will be noted in FIGURES 3 and 4 that the end walls 54 and 55 extend over the aligning plate 41 and abut against the plates 42 and 42; respectively. Thus, with the tray 4 in the position shown in the drawings and a stack of cards placed therein, the edges of the stack are engaged with the walls of the tray and therefore the cards are accurately aligned with respect to each other. The plate 53 contains a thumb hole 57 to facilitate placing and removing a stack of cards on the tray.

Also upstanding from the base plate 53 of the tray are walls 58 and 59 which are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the cards. The forward portion of the tray is closed by a front wall 60 which, with the tray in position shown in the drawings, is disposed a distance from the plates 42 and 42 equal to the length of the cards. Base plate 53 is provided with a thumb hole 61 to facilitate handling the stack of cards.

Projecting downwardly from the front of the transverse section of the rty is a plate 62 which carries at its lower extremity a bar 63 that extends from end to end of the tray. With the tray in position shown in the drawings the presser plate 51 extends over the top face of the bar 63 and abuts against the plate 62, the pressure on the plate 51 urging the tray rearwardly of the machine.

In order to definitely locate the tray and cards carried thereby with respect to the blade of the machine, rack plate 52 carries at its rear edge a series of indentations or notches 64 which in the example shown are semi-circular in shape. Indentations 64 correspond in number and in spacing to the number and spacing of the perforations in the cards. In the example shown, thirty-four indentations 64 are provided.

Projecting upwardly from the plate 27 and located on the median line of the machine is a pin 65 with which one of the notches 64 in the rack plate 52 is registered. Also upstanding from the plate 27 are pairs of pins 66 spaced equidistantly from the median line of the machine and engaged by other notches 64 in rack plate '52. Through this arrangement in all positions of the tray, three pins are employed to align it with respect to the blade and to prevent lateral movement of the tray during operation of the machine. Although semi-circular notches and pins of circular cross section are shown, other shapes of notches and pins may be used within the teachings of the invention.

The tray is equipped with a handle 67 and when it is desired to alter the lateral position of the tray, the handle 1s grasped and pulled forwardly against the tension of springs 48 thereby disengaging the notches 64 from the pins to free the tray for lateral movement. When a desired perforation in the cards is located in alignment with the blade that is clearly visible through opening 35, the pressure on the handle 67 is released and the tray is spring pressed into secured position by the engagement of notches 64 with the pins.

With the pins engaged in the notches 64 the rear edge of plate 53 lies in close proximity to front edge of the aligning plate 41. The upper surfaces of plates 53 and 41 lie in common plane, permitting easy movements of the cards laterally of the machine. It will be noted that the aligning plate 41 overhangs the plate 52 and that the presser plate 51 overhangs the bar 63 thus definitely preventing the tray from being lifted off of the machine. To disengage the tray from the machine it is only necessary to pull it forward slightly and then move it laterally off of the machine.

As will be seen best in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 the cutter blade is mounted upon a rack bar 70 which bar is slideably mounted in a C-shaped track 71 that is fixed upon the front wall 30 of the rear portion 21 of the machine. The rack bar 70 is engaged by a pinion 72 that is supported for rotation by a shaft 73 that is journaled in the side walls 32 and 33 of the machine. A collar 74 fixed with respect to the pinion 72 has attached to it an operate handle 75 that projects through a slot 76 in the front wall 30 of the framework. A finger 77 projects rearwardly from the collar 74 and a spring 78 extends between the finger 77 and the framework of the machine and is tensioned to hold the rack bar 70 in normal position, as shown in FIGURE 3.

As will be seen in FIGURES 69, the cutter blade 80 is V-shaped in plan view and is composed of spring steel. The lower end of the rack bar 70 is bifurcated to form a slot 81, the width of which is slightly less than the width of the open end of the blade 80 when the blade is in relaxed condition. Projecting into the slot 81 are upper locating screws 82 disposed adjacent the front edge of the bar '70. Also projecting into the slot 81 are lower locating screws 83 which are disposed rearwardly of the front edge of the bar 70.

As will be seen best in FIGURE 8, the arms of the blade contain notches 84 that are adapted to engage the lower locating screws 83 and notches 85 adapted to engage the upper locating screws 82. When it is desired to insert the blade in the groove 81, the arms thereof are compressed together slightly and the blade then inserted in the groove 81 to register the notches 84 with the screws 83. The blade is then rotated clockwise as seen in FIG- URE 3 to register slot 85 with the screws 82, the blade being held in position by the spring tension of its arms bearing against the walls of the groove and by the engagement of the locating screws with the notches. The blades are also provided with perforations 86 into which a tool may be inserted to facilitate mounting and dismounting the blade from the rack bar.

When mounted the blade is clearly visible through an opening 35 in the front wall of the machine, and the adjacent ends of plates 42 and 42' which are spaced apart to permit operation of the blade. The width of opening and the space between the adjacent ends of plates 42 and 42' is sufiicient to permit changing the blade therethrough without otherwise dis-assembling the machine. The lower end of rack bar 70 is notched as shown at 87 (FIGURES 3 and 4) to facilitate this operation.

With a stack of cards placed in the tray positioned to align a particular perforation in the cards with the blade 80, operating handle 75 is moved downwardly to force the blade through a stack of cards. Since the cards are accurately aligned and held, the groove cut in each card will be accurately aligned regardless of the position that card occupies in the stack. As soon as the operating handle is released spring 78 restores it to its normal position.

To facilitate removal of the chips thus cut from the cards, from the interior of the blade, a bellows 90 is mounted upon the framework of the machine and a pipe 91 extends from the bellows to the interior of the blade, and terminates near the apex of the blade. As the blade is being returned from cutting position to its normal position, the pipe 91 dislodges the chips. A cam 9i fixed upon the collar 74, operates the bellows 90 during the last portion of the movement of the blade into normal position. Operation of the bellows 90 forces a blast of air through the pipe 91, and since this blast occurs at the instant the dislodging of the chips is completed, the air blows the chips into a compartment 3 within the machine. A removable door 94 located in the back wall 31 of the machine can be opened to permit removal of the chips from the compartment.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a machine of simple design that is capable of grooving a single card or grooving a stack of cards in such a manner that the groove thus cut in each card is located in desired position regardless of the position that the particular card occupied in the stack. The tray carrying the cards is definitely locked in position during the operation of grooving the stack, thus preventing accidental lateral movement of the tray during this operation and consequent misalignment of grooves in the cards.

While we have chosen to illustrate our invention by showing and describing a preferred embodiment of it, we have done so by way of example only as there are many modifications and adaptations which can be made by one skilled in the art within the teaching of the invention.

We have thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, what we consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for grooving for classification stacks of record cards that have a plurality of perforations in rows that are disposed each a fixed distance from an edge of the cards, said machine comprising:

(1) a framework;

(2) a cutting blade mounted in said framework for substantially vertical movement and having a normal position;

(3) spring means for holding said blade in said normal position;

(4) a card tray supported upon said framework, be-

neath said blade for movement laterally with respect to the blade and framework;

(5) means upstanding from said tray and engaging three of the edges of the stack of cards for holding the cards in definite position upon the tray;

(6) means inter-engaged with said framework and tray for positioning said tray in predetermined positions with respect to said blade thereby to align a perforation in the cards with the blade;

(7) means on said tray for releasing said interengaged means to permit the tray to be manually moved laterally of the machine thereby to change the predetermined position of the tray;

(8) and manual means for moving said blade out of said normal position towards said tray against the tension of said spring means thereby to groove the stack of cards at said predetermined position.

2. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the cutting blade is composed of spring steel and is generally V shap in plan view and in which the mounting for the blade includes a groove that is narrower in plan view than the width of the blade in its free state, and in which compression of the blade to fit it in the groove tensions the blade so that the blade is secured in the mounting by its own tension.

3. A machine as specified in claim 2 in which the blade has a pair of notches in each of its arms and in which screws projected into the mounting groove engage with the notches to position the blade with respect to the mounting.

4. A machine as specified in claim 2 in which chips cut from a stack of cards by the blade are dislodged from the blade by a pipe that extends into the blade and in which a bellows is operated as the blade moves into its normal position to force a blast of air through the pipe thereby to blow the dislodged chips out of the blade.

5. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the means for positioning the cards upon the tray includ end walls engaging the ends of the stack of cards when disposed with their longer sides extending laterally of the machine, sidewalls on the tray engaging one side of the stack of cards, and plates on the machine adjacent the cutting blade engaging the other side of the stack of cards.

6. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the tray is T-shaped and in which a stack of cards placed thereon with an end adjacent the blade are located by a pair of walls and an end wall on the tray engaging the sides and one end of the stack of cards, respectively, and by plates on the machine adjacent the cutting blade engaging the other end of the stack of cards.

7. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the interengaged means includes a spring pressed plate engaging the tray along one of its edges and pushing the tray into contact with inter-engaged means on the other edge of the tray and on the machine.

8. A machine as specified in claim 1 in which the interengaged means for holding the tray in predetermined posi- 7 tion in the machine includes a rack plate fixed upon the tray and having a row of notches indented into its rear edge and pins located upon the machine in fixed positions and adapted to engage in said notches to position the tray.

9. A machine as specified in claim 8 in which the notches are semicircular in shape and the pins are round in c oss section.

10. A machine as specified in claim 9 in which the pins are located in the machine in such manner that in all operative positions the tray may be put at least three pins will register with the notches.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Wright 83917 X Hoswith 839l8 X Bone 83917X Bone 83-917X Feiertag 83-917 X Feiertag 83917 X WILLIAM W. DYER, 111., Primary Examiner.

L. B. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MACHINE FOR GROOVING FOR CLASSIFICATION STACKS OF RECORD CARDS THAT HAVE A PLURALITY OF PERFORATIONS IN ROWS THAT ARE DISPOSED EACH A FIXED DISTANCE FROM AN EDGE OF THE CARDS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING: (1) A FRAMEWORK; (2) A CUTTING BLADE MOUNTED IN SAID FRAMEWORK FOR SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL MOVEMENT AND HAVING A NORMAL POSITION; (3) SPRING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID BLADE IN SAID NORMAL POSITION; (4) A CARD TRAY SUPPORTED UPON SAID FRAMEWORK, BENEATH SAID BLADE FOR MOVEMENT LATERALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE BLADE AND FRAMEWORK; (5) MEANS UPSTANDING FROM SAID TRAY AND ENGAGING THREE OF THE EDGES OF THE STACK OF CARDS FOR HOLDING THE CARDS IN DEFINITE POSITION UPON THE TRAY; (6) MEANS INTER-ENGAGED WITH SAID FRAMEWORK AND TRAY FOR POSITIONING SAID TRAY IN PREDETERMINED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID BLADE THEREBY TO ALIGN A PERFORATION IN THE CARDS WITH THE BLADE; (7) MEANS ON SAID TRAY FOR RELEASING SAID INTERENGAGED MEANS TO PERMIT THE TRAY TO BE MANUALLY MOVED LATERALLY OF THE MACHINE THEREBY TO CHANGE THE PREDETERMINED POSITION OF THE TRAY; (8) AND MANUAL MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BLADE OUT OF SAID NORMAL POSITION TOWARDS SAID TRAY AGAINST THE TENSION OF SAID SPRING MEANS THEREBY TO GROOVE THE STACK OF CARDS AT SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION. 